By Berit Lolo
Background
Kenya is widely recognized as a regional leader in renewable energy generation, with geothermal, wind, and solar accounting for a significant share of the national power mix (International Energy Agency [IEA], 2024). However, increased clean energy generation has not automatically translated into inclusive economic growth, decent work, or equitable participation across society. Globally, evidence shows that without deliberate policy design, energy transitions can reproduce existing inequalities by concentrating benefits in limited segments of the economy (Newell & Mulvaney, 2013). In Kenya, renewable energy deployment has largely focused on capacity expansion, while questions of value chain participation, job quality, and local industrial development have received less attention. A just energy transition therefore requires policy processes that go beyond technology rollout to address how renewable energy can support domestic industries, empower workers, and include women, youth, and small enterprises. Policy dialogue grounded in research and stakeholder engagement is a critical mechanism for shaping such inclusive transition pathways (Sovacool et al., 2019).
Challenge
A major challenge confronting Kenya’s energy transition is the disconnect between renewable energy growth and local value creation. Studies on global renewable energy value chains indicate that many developing countries remain locked into low-value activities such as installation and maintenance, while high-value manufacturing, design, and innovation are concentrated elsewhere (IRENA, 2021). This structure limits job quality, skills transfer, and domestic industrial growth. In addition, gaps between progressive policy frameworks and effective implementation weaken outcomes related to labour standards, gender inclusion, and small enterprise participation. Women, youth, and marginalized groups often face structural and cultural barriers to entering technical and leadership roles within the renewable energy sector (IRENA, 2022). Without inclusive policy spaces that connect empirical evidence to decision-making, renewable energy risks becoming a narrow climate solution rather than a catalyst for equitable development.
Intervention
To respond to these challenges, a National Policy Dialogue on Just Energy Transitions was convened by African Centre for Technologies Studies under the JET Project, bringing together stakeholders from government, industry, labour, academia, civil society, and the renewable energy ecosystem. The dialogue was designed as an evidence-informed and participatory platform to shift the energy transition conversation from renewable energy deployment toward justice, inclusion, and local economic transformation.
The dialogue was grounded in comparative research and sectoral analysis from Kenya, Ghana and South Africa highlighting structural gaps in renewable energy value chains, decent work, and gender inclusion. Participatory methods such as facilitated panel discussions, visioning exercises, and structured group deliberations enabled stakeholders to collectively diagnose challenges and co-create solutions.
A central outcome of the dialogue was the co-creation of four strategic pathways for advancing a just energy transition. These included the localisation of wind turbines to promote domestic manufacturing and regional value chains; localisation of policies, laws, and regulations to ensure national and sub-national relevance and enforcement; energy access for industrialization and poverty eradication, emphasizing the dual role of grid and decentralized solutions; and localisation of resources, focusing on domestic materials, skills, and enterprise participation. Together, these pathways framed renewable energy as an engine for industrial development, decent work, and inclusive growth rather than a purely technical intervention.
Impact
The policy dialogue contributed to shaping a more nuanced and inclusive understanding of what a just energy transition entails within Kenya’s renewable energy landscape. By centering discussions on value chains, labour conditions, and social inclusion, the dialogue helped reframe renewable energy as a development strategy rather than solely a climate mitigation tool. This reframing aligns with broader evidence that justice-oriented energy transitions must integrate economic participation, job quality, and governance considerations alongside emissions reduction (Sovacool et al., 2019).
The co-created pathways provided stakeholders with a shared strategic framework for action. Emphasis on localization highlighted opportunities for retaining value within the country through manufacturing, skills development, and enterprise growth, particularly for small and medium enterprises. Discussions on policy localization underscored the importance of contextualizing national frameworks to county-level realities and strengthening enforcement mechanisms, echoing findings from global energy governance research (IRENA, 2021).
The dialogue also elevated social dimensions of the transition, including gender equality, worker safety, and youth inclusion. These issues were explicitly linked to renewable energy policy and industrial strategy, reinforcing international evidence that equitable participation is essential for sustainable energy transitions (IRENA, 2022). Importantly, the participatory design amplified diverse stakeholder voices, fostering mutual understanding and policy coherence across sectors. Overall, the dialogue strengthened the role of inclusive policy engagement as a bridge between research evidence and actionable energy transition pathways that prioritize justice, dignity, and shared prosperity.
Conclusion
This Impact story demonstrates that advancing a just energy transition requires intentional policy processes that integrate evidence, participation, and long-term vision. The JET-convened national policy dialogue showed how structured, inclusive engagement can surface systemic challenges and generate locally grounded pathways for renewable energy-led development. By co-creating strategies focused on localization, energy access, and social inclusion, the dialogue positioned renewable energy as a driver of equitable industrial growth and decent work. As Kenya continues to expand its renewable energy sector, sustained investment in evidence-based policy dialogue will be critical to ensuring that the transition delivers not only clean power, but also justice, opportunity, and resilience for all segments of society.
References
International Energy Agency. (2024). Kenya energy profile. https://www.iea.org
International Renewable Energy Agency. (2021). Renewable energy value chains: A guide for policy makers. https://www.irena.org
International Renewable Energy Agency. (2022). Renewable energy and gender equality. https://www.irena.org
Newell, P., & Mulvaney, D. (2013). The political economy of the “just transition.” The Geographical Journal, 179(2), 132–140. https://doi.org/10.1111/geoj.12008
Sovacool, B. K., Hook, A., Martiskainen, M., & Baker, L. (2019). The whole systems energy injustice of low-carbon transitions. Global Environmental Change, 58, 101958. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2019.101958
